Form for concrete flat work

ABSTRACT

A concrete flat work form system for facilitating the placement of floors, sidewalks, patios and the like in which the form element is bent or rolled from sheet material to an angle shape and further providing spaced holes for the reception of cooperatively shaped and drilled support stakes. The sheet material is cut adjacent the stake holes providing a tab at the form face for mating engagement of a similarly derived form element disposed in stacked arrangement above the first form element. The tab is positioned for non-interference with concrete finishing tools.

Unite States Patent [451 Aug. 1,1972

Lougheed [54] FORM FOR CONCRETE FLAT WORK [72] Inventor: Earl H. Lougheed, 530 Osceola St.,

Denver, Colo. 80204 [22] Filed: April 14, 1969 21 App1.No.: 815,695

[52] US. Cl ..249/3, 249/7 [51] Int. Cl ..E01c 7/00 [58] Field of Search ..249/2-7, 49, 157,

'[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,931 5/1896 Campbell ..249/157 1,772,793 8/1930 Abernathy ..249/7 X 1,988,900 1/1935 Heltzel ..249/7 X 1,939,007 12/1933 Heltzel ..249/3 X 2,835,017 5/1958 Hoerr ..249/207 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 191,472 1 1/ 1907 Germany ..249/49 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney-C. B. Messenger [5 7] ABSTRACT A concrete flat work form system for facilitating the placement of floors, sidewalks, patios and the like in which the form element is bent or rolled from sheet material to an angle shape and further providing spaced holes for the reception of cooperatively shaped and'drilled support stakes. The sheet material is cut adjacent the stake holes providing a tab at the form face for mating engagement of a similarly derived form element disposed in stacked arrangement above the first form element. The tab is positioned for noninterference with concrete finishing tools.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB 1 I972- SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR.

EARL H. LOUGHEED ATTORNEY PATENTEDAUB 1 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 C'IIIIIIII/l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present form system is provided as a substitute for and an improvement over currently used forms made of wooden dimension materials and metal form systems that have heretofore been designed and built to facilitate the placement of concrete flat work. Previous metal forms have been relatively expensive, and adequate wood materials are now expensive and subject to deterioration that limits the number of reuses that can be made. Previous metal form systems have recognized the benefit of providing a combination form and support stake that could be efficiently and cooperatively used to increase the speed of form erection. In general, however, such previous systems have not adequately recognized the problems inherent in placing, removing and handling the forms and in the grading operations that are characteristic of concrete flat work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a simplified and improved form system for use in concrete flat work operations. Within the form-and support stake combination a system is provided in which the components are of light weight for ease of handling at times of installation, removal and transport. The form is of an angular shape derived from the bending of flat sheet material that has been punched to provide a stake opening that is cooperatively shaped and positioned to receive a sup port stake which itself provides adjustable support positions and a sharpened end to facilitate placement in supporting ground. The metal form is of relatively thin gauge material, and no foot flange is provided so the form may itself be driven or pushed downwardly-to penetrate the ground at points of use before grading operations have been initiated or finished. The top return flange strengthens the form structure without inclusion of elements that would interfere 'with the nested handling of the forms. A support tab may be provided adjacent to stake openings which makes it possible to place a plurality of form elements in stacked arrangement when it is desirable to pour a concrete slab of thickness in excess of the height of a single form element. Such support tabs are cooperatively positioned to avoid interference with concrete finishing tools and operations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing features of the form and support stake combination,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation illustrating further features of the invention,

FIGS. 3 is a partial layout pattern for the form element,

FIG. 4 illustrates a plurality of form elements in stacked arrangement, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through an in-place form system illustrating further features of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings illustrate a preferred type of form system which includes the provision of a form element 11 of derived angular shape, inclusive of a form face flange 12 and a return flange l3. Desirably, for most uses of the invention these flanges l2 and 13 are disposed at right angles one with respect to the other to provide an angle shape.

Punched openings 14 are provided at spaced positions along the length of the form piece 11 for the reception of support stakes 16. The stakes are of flat strap type metal, and they are provided with sharpened points 17. A plurality of openings 18 are disposed in spaced positions along the length of the stake to receive a form supporting peg or nail 19.

While the angle shape for the form element 11 may be derived from hot roll processes or from roll formed sheet metal, a preferred embodiment of the invention is best made by bend-brake operations from flat sheet material. A layout pattern for flat sheet material is shown in FIG. 3. In the fabricating operations the hole 14 is first punched in spaced positions along the length of the sheet material. At the time of such punching operations a pair of extended slits 21 may be cut in the material to free a tab element 22. In a subsequent operation the flat sheet material is bent along a bend line 23. If the upper edge 24 of the tab 22 does not extend past the confines of the bend allowance for the radius curvature being used, the tab will not itself be bent at the time of the form bending step. The tab will be left in upstanding position as shown in the unused opening 14 of FIG. 1, and it thereafter can be bent inwardly as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. With the inwardly bent disposition of the tab 22 a plurality of form elements 11 may be stacked one above the other, as shown in FIG. 4, to provide a concrete form structure of greater height when deeper concrete is being placed.

The inwardly bent tab 22 is positioned so that it will not interfere with concrete finishing operations, as shown in FIG. 5, where an edger 26 is illustrated. Edger 26 may be moved reciprocally along the emplaced concrete to provide a finished edge on the concrete 27 without interference from the tabs 22 or other elements of the forms 11.

The described system in which the holes 14 closely engage the stakes 16 makes it possible to conveniently and speedily erect forms for concrete flat work. In connection with such concrete placing operations a form line may be established by a string or other guide element, and subsequently a plurality of form elements 11 of standard or modified lengths may be positioned along such guide string. Since the preferred form elements are made of relatively light gauge material, the forms can actually be inserted and placed downwardly into an earth structure before grading operations are completed. The lower or leading edge 28 of the face element 12 can be penetrated into earth or sod; accordingly, it is not necessary in connection with use of this system to grade and fine grade the areas for concrete placement prior to installation of the form system.

After the form elements 11 are positioned a plurality of stakes 16 may be driven through spaced openings 14 so that the forms will not be moved outwardly by the weight of poured concrete. For the embodiment shown the stakes are made of approximately inch thick bar or strap material, and a plurality of holes 18 are drilled through the stakes in spaced positions. When the stake is sufficiently engaged in the earth structure to provide adequate support, a pin or nail 19 may be inserted in one of the selected openings 18, and the top flange 13 of the form 11 is then rested against the nail. Since the center of gravity for the angularly shaped form is disposed substantially in a position corresponding to the point identified as C6. in FIG. 2, the face flange 12 of the forms 1 1 will be moved by gravity influences into contacting relationship with the stake 16. After a support nail is loosely placed in one of the openings 18 the stake may be driven further to align the top edge 29 of the form 11 with the guide string or other guide element. In keeping with previous practices the stake itself may be moved inwardly or outwardly with respect to the supporting earth structure to maintain the desired alignment. As previously set forth, grading operations can be completed after the forms are installed. This feature, in fact, facilitates grading operations, since the lower edge 28 of the forms 11 provides a guide line for fine grading operations.

After the concrete has been poured and finishing operations have been completed, the form system inclusive of form elements 11 and stakes 16 may be more easily removed than previous systems in which a foot flange is provided. Where the concrete is to be placed in a lawn or other decorated or finished areas, no irregular or gouged edge will be left when the forms are removed.

The forms 11 and stakes 16 can be easily handled at time of removal, and the form elements 11 may be disposed in nested positions one within the other to facilitate transport or storage. Since there are no foot flanges or support lips on the form elements, all the major form surfaces are exposed for efficient cleaning and form oil treatment functions. The forms can, accordingly, be readily prepared for storage or reuse. The formed angular shape provides an additional benefit where the flanges 12 and 13 are of relatively thin material, since one form can be lapped with respect to another to avoid a previous necessity for short form pieces or short pieces of wood forms to complete a desired form shape. When the form elements are used in lapped condition, the stake 16 can usually still be disposed through the openings 14 in the upper flanges 13 of the lapped form elements to provide support for the form system. For form elements made of 12 gauge material the resulting oflset would be approximately one-tenth inch. Such slight offset is, of course, within the usual tolerances for concrete flat work placement.

The form system combination can be provided at a cost to the user which compares favorably with presently used wood forms. With repeated reuses the forms will actually be more economical to use than wood. The lack of a foot flange and the fact that the forms 11 may be placed before grading operations are completed represents a prime advantage of the present system. The further fact that the pins or nails 19 are not driven or securely engaged with the forms simplifies erection and removal of the forms. On the other hand, the positioning of the CO. with respect to the point of support 31 operates to hold the stake 16 and the forms 1 1 in proper position. he engagement between the pm 19, the openings 18 and the top flange 13 at the support point 31 adequately serves to hold the forms in desired position. The further provision of a non-interfering tab 22 makes the erection and use of stacked forms feasible. These features together with nested handling and storage and easy cleaning provide a system that is well adapted for its intended useage.

I claim:

1. A flat work form system for use in connection with the placement and finishing of concrete surfaces at bare ground work sites comprising a form element having upright and top flange components disposed in angular position one with the other, said top flange providing a plurality of spaced openings therein in position against said upright flange, and a plurality of support stakes for engagement in the ground that are of cross-sectional shape corresponding to the opening in said top flange for disposition therethrough and for contact with a rear face of said upright flange, said upright flange terminating at a lower edge not wider than the thickness thereof, whereby penetrating engagement of said upright flange with the supporting ground is facilitated and wherein a plurality of said form elements as set forth herein are used in stacked arrangement one above the other, and further comprising tabs on a first or lower form element in position adjacent the top flange openings thereof adapted to support the upright flange of the upper form element with the upright flanges of upper and lower form elements being in aligned relation. 

1. A flat work form system for use in connection with the placement and finishing of concrete surfaces at bare ground work sites comprising a form element having upright and top flange components disposed in angular position one with the other, said top flange providing a plurality of spaced openings therein in position against said upright flange, and a plurality of support stakes for engagement in the ground that are of cross-sectional shape corresponding to the opening in said top flange for disposition therethrough and for contact with a rear face of said upright flange, said upright flange terminating at a lower edge not wider than the thickness thereof, whereby penetrating engagement of said upright flange with the supporting ground is facilitated and wherein a plurality of said form elements as set forth herein are used in stacked arrangement one above the other, and further comprising tabs on a first or lower fOrm element in position adjacent the top flange openings thereof adapted to support the upright flange of the upper form element with the upright flanges of upper and lower form elements being in aligned relation. 